China's anti-graft campaign recovers 38.7b yuan from corrupt officials

Authorities have recovered 38.7 billion yuan (US$6.2 billion) in losses from corruption, state media reported, as the leadership pursues a campaign against pervasive corruption.

Corrupt officials have had to return ill-gotten land and property to the state, the official People's Daily reported on its website, citing the ruling Communist Party's top anti-graft body, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The body said that the funds had been recovered between a high-profile meeting of party leaders in November 2012 and June this year.

Favoured people and businesses that were illegally given tax breaks had also had to return the money, it said.

Since he assumed power in late 2012, President Xi Jinping, who doubles as party and military chief, has pursued a relentless campaign against pervasive corruption, vowing to go after powerful "tigers" - senior officials - as well as lowly "flies".

The biggest tiger brought to justice so far is the disgraced former security chief Zhou Yongkang .